Deon Dorvil, 5-foot-11 290 senior nose tackle from Edina, has helped lead the Hornets to a 2-0 start. Dorvil, who camped at Minnesota this summer, recently talked to Gopher Hole about his recruitment, his senior season and coming back from a torn ACL.
Gopher Hole: What college camps did you get a chance to attend this summer?
Deon Dorvil: I went to the Minnesota Gopher camp and after that, I did the NDSU camp and then I did the UND camp.
Gopher Hole: How do you think that you did in those camps?
Deon Dorvil: Those camps, I did pretty well. I try to turn up the heat. Keep the motion going. I try to turn it up a notch. Go past my boundaries. There is a lot of competition out there. I try to up my game. I show no weakness. No weakness.
Gopher Hole: How do you think that you did the Gopher camp, in particular?
Deon Dorvil: I think that I did excellent. I felt that I could get across the ball every play. I went across the ball one-on-one. I went past the guy, so I thought that I did excellent.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been really working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Deon Dorvil: Basically, I have been working on trying to stay low. Being explosive off the ball. Being quick. Being faster than the offensive lineman. I have to be careful about that because I don’t want to just shoot the gap. I am working on being fast off the ball, breaking out.
Gopher Hole: What do you see your strengths being as a football player?
Deon Dorvil: My strengths are that I stay low.
Gopher Hole: You suffered an injury last year. What has the recovery process been like?
Deon Dorvil: The injury was my ACL. Right now, I am feeling fine. I am about to get rid of the brace because I have been working hard this summer. I waited two months to just get on the field. Nothing is going to stop me now. I rehabbed for ten months, but I am back. That is not going to stop me.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are competitive kid. Was it tough to not be on the field with your teammates?
Deon Dorvil: It was very tough. I got really mad sometimes because my guy wasn’t really doing his job. I actually wanted to get on the field. I was hungry. I was really thirsty for it. I just took it out in the weight room. Getting bigger and stronger.
Gopher Hole: What colleges are you hearing from right now?
Deon Dorvil: They are contacting Bolt (head coach Reed Boltmann) right now. I told them that I am going to hold off for right now. I am trying to focus on the season. I am focusing on this right now. That step is next after I am done with this season. I am really focusing on this season, the here and now and worry about the future later.
Gopher Hole: You moved from Miami Northwestern to Edina for your sophomore season. What was the move like from Miami to Minnesota?
Deon Dorvil: It was huge adjustment. I had to get used to the weather and stuff like that, but I am used to it now and ready to go.
Gopher Hole: Do you have a school that you would love to hear from and be recruited by?
Deon Dorvil: Right now, I would say Iowa or Michigan, but the Gophers, I want to be recruited by the Gophers, too, but whatever comes. I am trying to shoot for the stars.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Deon Dorvil: Nothing now. I am not really hearing anything from any colleges. Last season, they wanted to wait until this upcoming season to see what I could do, so I hope that I hear more from schools.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that it is a case where they want to see how the knee is and make sure you are 100%?
Deon Dorvil: Yes. I believe so.
Gopher Hole: Are you going to try to go to some college games this fall?
Deon Dorvil: This year, yes. I will try to go to the Gophers again and whoever invites me, but I am not going to try to do too much because my coach said make it like a five limit and don’t overdo it.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about a possible college major?
Deon Dorvil: Probably culinary or math. I like coaching and I like math, too.
Gopher Hole: What got you into culinary?
Deon Dorvil: My mom. She taught me how to cook. She is a single mom and she taught me how to be independent.
Gopher Hole: Is your lack of height the knock on you? You are not as tallas some teams would want to see you as.
Deon Dorvil: Yes, but I am not letting that stop me. I am not going to let that bring me down. I am just going to try to work on me. I am just going to take that as a motivation and get better and be better and stay healthy and play as hard as I can.
Gopher Hole: What position are most schools looking at you playing in college?
Deon Dorvil: Nose guard